It just keeps getting better!

Our sweet Lilah turned 3 weeks old just yesterday! She is the most incredible little miracle, a true gift from our gracious Savior.
I can say without hesitation that the first two weeks were very difficult for me. After being in the hospital for two weeks, having to have an unplanned c-section, recovering from the surgery, & coming home with a new baby completely wore me out. Sleep deprivation combined with off the wall hormones snuck up on me and before I realized it I was letting myself give in to a bit of depression.
I did a lot of praying... And then some more... Then more still and after what felt like an eternity (probably two days) I began to feel a little bit more like myself, the pieces started to come together. Sleep is such wonderful medicine for a new mom! If ever you hear that bringing home baby is wonderful & full of smiles, self assurance, and complete bliss please call me and give me the name and number of the woman spreading such lies, I will need to speak with her!
Don't get me wrong, Lilah is the most incredible little blessing and this third week has been truly wonderful. She is sleeping for 3-4 hours at a time between feedings and doesn't fuss unless she is hungry or needs a new diaper (yes we recognize how lucky we are to have such a wonderful baby).
All of this to say that I have a new respect for mothers and you truly cannot understand until it is your turn :) it just keeps getting better, she changes a little every single day and the thought that she will be a month old in less than a week is a little mind blowing. It is going to go by too fast for this momma.
The fact that the Lord has blessed me with this incredible job is the most flattering feeling I have ever felt. I am a mommy... The only thing I have ever truly longed to be :-) Increadible.

May I Pull the Pregnancy Card?

I heard that you were supposed to get all of your energy back in your second trimester... what a crock!

I kid, I kid! I have had more energy than at the beginning of our pregnancy but I wouldn't say by much. Especially since I have started back at the schools (Rowlett HS, Schrade MS, and Coyle MS) I can feel myself going to that sleepy place about half way through my day. By the time I have gotten home the last few days I have been ready to crawl in bed and hibernate! My body is super sore and achy and I have a pretty constant headache (thank goodness I can at least take Tylenol!).

I also am missing my husband terribly this week. He will wind up working a 70+ hour week & with a two hour commute both ways that equals a very lonely wife and pups at home. I am so thankful for the job that he has and he is SO GOOD at it! I am exceptionally proud to be his wife and am so thankful that he works so hard and diligently. He is remarkable especially with some of the things that he has to deal with on a daily basis.

I just miss him.

God has blessed us so much. Perhaps I can pull the pregnancy card (which I try never to do) & say that it's the hormones that are making me so needy and pathetic?!

Anywho, the pups and I are waiting for Project Runway to come on so that we can be distracted and not weep about the absence of our sweet, hard worker.

Diaper Bags, Strollers, & Bedding... OH MY!

It's a GIRL!
Our sweet little Lilah Ann Collins is only about 18 weeks from joining our family!!! So exciting!!!

We picked up her furniture this last weekend and it has been assembled thanks to my wonderful husband. The room is a bit crowded and I am still trying to figure out exactly where I want everything. I had a picture in my mind and of course, it isn't working out quite that way. The furniture is BEAUTIFUL and we are thrilled with the structure and color ALTHOUGH I will let you know that you do not have to purchase the most expensive stuff as Phil and I are pretty positive they are all exactly the same (only the sales pitch may change).

After we found out that it was Lilah we were having my brain flipped a switch to girly mode. Never did I think that would be the case as I do not tend to be a very "girly girl" but alas I want pink, pink, and more pink. : )


I repainted the light brown and tan squares on the wall to two different shades of pink the day after we had our sonogram (of course I had to do it right away... that is simply my way). I also ditched the bedding we had previously agreed on (we had not purchased it yet, no worries) and decided that I needed to find something more fitting for our little angel.

Easier said than done!

It has taken me two weeks (which seems like an eternity) to decide on bedding that will incorporate into her room. We couldn't do anything to busy because of the accent wall and I am not really into the butterflies, ladybugs, and barnyard animals.
We decided to go with this lovely set yesterday and I am very pleased...


Philip has brought to my attention that we need to have a manly diaper bag seeing as he does not want to be seen carrying a "sissy" one.... If any of you have diaper bag suggestions PLEASE let me know : ) These are a few that I have found...





Yes, I like Eddie Bauer... lol.

Now when it comes to the stroller/car seat combo I am having a difficult time NOT choosing something girly. We want to be able to use it later down the line so I understand going neutral... but that is not where my head is at!!
I suppose there will be much discussion on the topic in the weeks to come : D

Love you all, hope you aren't bored by baby talk!

Purpose-less

I can honestly say that this post has no purpose, no meaning, and no agenda. I simply needed to busy myself in something and decided that this was the way to accomplish that.

This last week was rough for my family and for myself. The Lord has really been at work on my heart and this evening I feel jumbled & like I have taken 12 steps backwards. So many variables play into my emotional state, the largest being that these pregnancy hormones are ABSURD! I appreciate the process of growing another human being but good grief... can a girl catch a break? lol. I will try to keep the whining to a minimum, you have my word.

Ever felt like your prayers just hit the ceiling? I do. I feel that way today. Perhaps my heart just isn't in the right place.
Joel's (pastor of Connection Point Church) sermon this last Sunday was about feeling overlooked, like you can't catch a break. I understand that message better today than I did on Sunday. I don't feel overlooked in the sense that I am steps behind anyone else but more in the way that I feel taken advantage of. I feel a little unappreciated and slightly taken for granted.

I am guilty of ALL THOSE THINGS, I just want that to be abundantly clear. I know that I have made others feel that way and I truly work to keep that to a bare minimum... we are all human.

Sometimes I feel like screaming out loud, sometimes I do not feel like praying, & sometimes I feel like punching in a wall, lol, the last of which I would do more harm to myself.

There is a song that says, "Everyone needs compassion" among other things, & I want this to be heard... heck, I want to tattoo it on some peoples foreheads! It isn't always about US/YOU, sometimes it is about OTHERS. Have compassion for the trials in other peoples lives, be grateful and thankful for what you have an understand that some are not so lucky.

To myself: Practice what you preach, Collins.

Noted.

Well Wishes for the Future of Mr. & Mrs. Davin Haley

My best childhood friend is getting hitched today : )

I remember when she was going to marry Justin Timberlake & I was going to marry JC from NSYNC... How grateful I am for unanswered prayers, lol!

I love that people change and that Megan & I have both grown into the women we were meant to be.

Meggie,
I wish you nothing but joy in your marriage to Davin today and for the rest of your lives. The most incredible thing I have ever done was to marry my best friend. God gave us such an amazing gift in marriage and the opportunity to share your life with a partner. I pray that Davin loves and cherishes you, that he leads you in a Godly union, and that you always feel loved. I pray also that you love and cherish Davin, that you always honor, support, and respect him, and that you continue to fall in love more each day. I love you friend.
Can't wait to watch you walk down the aisle! All eyes on you girlfriend :-D

Wait.. Was My OBGYN Just Holding His Breath???

Yes... turns out he was.

I went in today to get some blood work done & to see if I was anemic (which it turns out I am borderline so I will begin an iron supplement daily). I wasn't expecting to get an exam and I certainly hadn't let myself believe I was going to get to hear my baby's heartbeat (I was devastated last time I didn't get a sono!) so I was OVERJOYED when my sweet, white haired doc went over and picked up the doppler!

"Oh yay!" I exclaimed, and in response received a giggle. : )

We chatted through about the first 20 seconds while he guided the 'wanna be microphone' across my tummy... then we stopped when I heard a heartbeat. It was my own. Sigh.
Another 20 seconds goes by... and then another... and another.

"You're making me nervous", I cautiously said, no response from doc.

He began pushing on my tummy and trying to manipulate the belly that I have come to love.
A total of about 2 minutes passed and then FINALLY the 'whooshing' sound of my little ones heart came over the doppler! "HALLELUJAH!" I thought and subsequently said aloud.

That's when my precious doctor let out a huge gush of air and I realized he had been holding his breath!
It is never comforting when your doctor is nervous especially when it pertains to your growing child, but in the end I got what I was longing for... even if only for a brief moment... the knowledge that our miracle is safe and sound, growing and getting prepared to meet us face to face.

~~ Lord, thank you for your love, for this life, and for this child. Thank you for the knowledge that you are bigger than everything and everything is what you control.~~

Dreary Outside, Joyful in my Heart

I finished painting the BABIES ROOM! I haven't been able to go as hard on it as I would have pre-fat girl (it's a joke, I know I'm not "fat") and therefore I would get frustrated that it wasn't done... NOW! But alas, it is done! I am very, very pleased with the outcome & I really think the baby is going to love it :D







We will be putting the current bed up in the attic and are looking into getting a day bed or futon for the room so that there is plenty of space but still a place to rest/sleep.
I am so thankful for this home & for a place that we can bond with our child. We are blessed beyond words.
Now if only we knew FOR SURE if it was a little boy or little girl! :) Either way I cannot wait to meet our little miracle.

And Baby Makes 3

What an incredible blessing this pregnancy has been! After talking to so many wonderful women about their pregnancies I give thanks that mine has been so fantastic so far. No morning sickness (unless I made the fatal mistake of taking prenatal vitamins on an empty stomach), no truly horrible food aversions (other than eggs... weird), & no roller coaster of emotions!

---Ok so the last one is a COMPLETE fabrication as I have sat sobbing on the kitchen floor because I couldn't open a jar of peanut butter---

We picked out our nursery furniture yesterday and it should arrive in mid August! I can't wait to get it in the room and get to decorating! I have already begun painting, which if you know me you will not find that the least bit odd or overzealous! If I have it in my mind... I am going to do it... today :)

The room is going to be gender neutral so that we can reuse it in the future. The walls are a beautiful green (momma's favorite color!) and I have made an accent wall of different sized squares that will be brown, tan, green (like the walls), and a lighter shade of green as well. I am pretty confident that it is going to look fantastic when it is all done and if not I am certain the baby won't mind.

I have been asked if what I want in terms of boy or girl and I can say with complete honesty that all I want is HEALTHY!>

If it is a little boy, AMAZING! if it is a little girl, AMAZING! If it is healthy and all mine, HALLELUJAH THANK YOU JESUS!

We are just so excited about this wonderful little gift that the Lord has given us and so happy and grateful to have so much wonderful support and love. This baby is going to be rotten!

Weekend Getaway Photos

Fredricksburg Getaway

Road Trip! It was on the shorter side but we had so much fun :)

Phil and I took a little (5 hour) drive down to Fredricksburg this past weekend. I am pretty certain that if anyone had gone with us they would have bored to tears... it's funny how much fun we have just being ridiculous together. We walked Main Street, ate yummy burgers outside (the flies did put a damper on dinner), and loaded up on sweets. It was wonderful to be us this weekend.

*I will put some pictures up once my wonderful husband finds the camera uploader thingy...*

Now we look forward to our next trip, Fabulous Las Vegas!!! Only a few short weeks till we hop a plane.

On a different note, my students will be giving their first voice recital tomorrow night at Schrade Middle School. I am so proud of them and what they have accomplished this semester and I cannot wait for them to show off for their parents and friends!

What a S-L-A-C-K-E-R

I suppose that it is safe to say that since I no longer sit in front of a computer every work day my social networking skills have fallen quite low on the priority list (to about the point of extinction!) I am not ashamed nor will I apologize, haha, I will simply welcome myself back to the blogging world with a fresh post...

The true reason that I enjoy blogging is because
1) I enjoy typing (seriously).
2) I thoroughly enjoy jotting down my thoughts and this way my hand doesn't cramp up.
3) Looking back at previous posts is humbling and rejuvenating for me.

Some wonderful things have happened in the last few months, like the beautiful growth of our church! Connection Point Church could not have come into our lives at a better time. We have enjoyed growing with them and we continue to enjoy our time with such a wonderful community of believers. We have made some great friends and are grateful for the opportunity to serve. It is so refreshing to go to a church that challenges our spirituality and makes us think outside of ourselves.
We have done some big "face-lifts" to our home and the results are pretty great! We repainted [pretty much] the entire house, tore out the carpet in the living room and replaced it with laminate 'hard wood', and we had our back porch extended with some beautiful stone! Hard work but TOTALLY worth it :)

My favorite hobby, cooking, has taken a backseat lately due to the shape of the house and Phil not being home until late (with the project he is currently kicking butt at) but I still look for new recipes and have a pantry stocked and ready to go.

All in all I have zero complaints and billion hallelujahs.
Love to any and all who read our blog (I am going to get Phil to post here soon).
We love you guys :-D